As Chairman of the Board of ICAN, I am the organization's lead volunteer and cheering squad for our very small staff and hundreds of volunteers around the world! In the thirteen plus years during whic... more

December 27, 2010

Speaking as an ICAN (International Cancer Advocacy Network) insider, I can personally vouch for the fact that whatever donors and volunteers put in to this organization, be it donations and or time, t... more

I've said it before and I'll happily say it again: in my sixteen years volunteering for ICAN (including about eight years serving as Chairman of the Board), I continue to see miracles happen ... lives being extended with the best possible quality of life. Because of the extremely worthy work done by all those on Team ICAN, I become recommitted - every day - to that team and to those patients who count on us. With day-to-day eyewitnessing of ICAN's small but mighty staff and its more than 1000-strong volunteer base working around the world and around the clock, I am convinced that ICAN is THE most patient-friendly and helpful cancer organization on the planet. With more funding dollars, we would be able to help that many more desperate patients, and if I were to win the lottery, I would put a little away to take care of my family and then donate the rest to ICAN.

Ways to make it better...

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

Find 'angel' donors whose financial support would allow this organization to help all those who come to our doors, without ever having to put any patient on a waitlist.

More feedback...

Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?

Definitely

How much of an impact do you think this organization has?

Life-changing

Will you tell others about this organization?

Definitely

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

As Chairman of the Board of ICAN, I am the organization's lead volunteer and cheering squad for our very small staff and hundreds of volunteers around the world! In the thirteen plus years during which I have volunteered for ICAN, I have witnessed the amazing work done by this organization, along with the gratitude of countless patients and their families. I truly believe that of all the cancer organizations on the face of the planet, ICAN is the only one that actually “goes to bat” for patients and their families … extending lives and improving patient quality of life along the way. Every day, I am reminded by grateful patients that all volunteer efforts and donor support for ICAN could not go to a more worthy organization.

The Great!

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

hearing from grateful patients and their families, many of whom had not been helped by some of the more high profile cancer organizations.

Ways to make it better...

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

find some wealthy people who could give us the support we need to help even more patients around the U.S. and around the world.

More feedback...

Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?

Definitely

How much of an impact do you think this organization has?

Life-changing

Will you tell others about this organization?

Definitely

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

2012

How did you learn about this organization?

In 1998, my cousin's 29-yr-old daughter was dying of melanoma. At that time, I read an article in Phoenix Magazine about an anticancer drug developer (Dr. George Pettit), who went into the rainforests and the oceans around the world, looking for anticancer compounds, which he would then try to replicate in the lab. The article mentioned that if readers wanted more information, they should contact Marcia Horn at IFADD (International Foundation for Anticancer Drug Discovery, which was the organization's name until several years ago when we changed it to ICAN). At that time, I called Marcia who immediately did research for this cousin of mine and was able to provide the family with some critical information (that none of us could find elsewhere). I was so grateful to Marcia and inspired by the help and resources that she and the organization provided to us that I offered my help. And now, more than thirteen years later, I am more inspired than ever.

What is this organization's top short-term priority?

For cancer patients, our most critical priority today is molecular profiling, which will give doctors the most complete information on exactly what might best fight that patient's particular cancer, bringing about THE most effective "personalized medicine" treatment for every cancer patient.
For ICAN, our most critical priority is to have the funds that will allow us to act as an advocate for every patient who might benefit from our services.

What is its top priority in the long run?

Speaking as an ICAN (International Cancer Advocacy Network) insider, I can personally vouch for the fact that whatever donors and volunteers put in to this organization, be it donations and or time, they get back twice as much in satisfaction and gratification that their efforts are truly helping cancer patients fight for their lives. How do I know? I’ve been a very active ICAN (formerly IFADD) volunteer since 1998. At that time, Marcia Horn - ICAN's heroic leader - researched my cousin's cancer at my behest and was able to present some critical information (that we could not find elsewhere) to the family. I was so grateful to Marcia and inspired by the help and resources that she and the organization provided to my cousin that I offered my help. And now, more than twelve years of just about full time pro bono work for ICAN, I am more inspired than ever.

Of all the cancer organizations on the face of the planet, I believe that ICAN is the only one that is truly "in the trenches" with patients and their families … extending lives and improving patient quality of life along the way. It’s become sort of “legend” around ICAN circles that if I were to win the lottery tomorrow, I’d reserve a little for my family and then give the lion’s share to ICAN, as it could not go to a more worthy organization that literally works 24/7 to be a virtual lifeline for proactive cancer patients.
Sherry Weinstein, Chairman
ICAN Board of Trustees

The Great!

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

Having met - in person, on the phone, or via email - many grateful cancer patients (or their families) who say that ICAN is greatly responsible for the "extra years" they've gotten, or for enhancing their quality of life. That's all the proof I need to keep me motivated to continue my work with ICAN for the next twelve years!

Ways to make it better...

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

The only change I'd make is to try and find more "angel donors" so that ICAN would be able to provide its unique services to an ever-greater number of patients around the world.

I have continued gratitude to ICAN for its role in my late mother's battle with Ovarian Cancer. Although this terrible disease did take her life in May 2010, she outlived her expected prognosis and lived well and happily until just weeks before she died. ICAN CEO Marcia Horn did so much for Mom - from fielding her calls in a sensitive way to helping refer her to specialists. I believe Marcia truly cares. I have been in the presence of other families who feel the same. ICAN is worthy of accolades, grants, and more. I am proud to be volunteer member of its Board and I also consider Marcia a dear friend.

More feedback...

Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?

I am proud to be a Founding Trustee of ICAN and to have underwritten the first paycheck of its CEO, the first IRA bequest, the first corporate donation, the first matching funds donation, and the first Will and Trust beneficiary clause. I have been involved with the organization since day one. Most of the members of our ICAN boards and councils have witnessed some of the desperation of the cancer patients who first call our office in terms of the uncontrolled sobbing and anguish of patients’ family members. And we have also witnessed the euphoric relief at the end of that first conversation that they’ve finally found an organization who will never let them down and which will chart out strategic options for them that their first medical team overlooked. Personally, I have referred cases to ICAN, ranging from lung cancer to bladder cancer to mantle cell lymphoma to rare brain tumors to benign tumors. I even refer cases outside the cancer area when no other organization has a handle on the patient's diagnosis.

No one has named or identified any other organization that does what ICAN does, and many of our patients initially had sought help from multiple cancer organizations--whether nationally known breast, lung, myeloma, brain, pancreatic, melanoma, leukemia and lymphoma, colon, prostate, or thyroid organizations to name just “the majors.” The telling tribute to us is that our patients stay with ICAN for the duration of their battle or recovery. One Ohio patient, who had been written off as a hopeless case six years ago, recently e-mailed ICAN that her latest scans showed the much-coveted “No Evidence of Disease” status. ICAN had played a huge role in outlining the strategic options she chose in her battle for life and in encouraging her to choose the combination chemotherapy that ultimately has prolonged her life.

The Great!

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

its life-saving provision of patient advocacy services in every kind of diagnosis imaginable and in the well-run operations of this world class organization.

Ways to make it better...

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

shout from the rooftops that ICAN needs major funding from all possible sources to be able to reach the millions of cancer patients worldwide who could benefit from these top-notch advocacy services, physician referrals, and clinical trials research. ICAN serves Stage IV patients, and it would be great to have the organization have the resources to expand to cover all cancer patients no matter what stage.

More feedback...

Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?

Definitely

How much of an impact do you think this organization has?

Life-changing

Will you tell others about this organization?

Definitely

How did you learn about this organization?

I was a lead founder of it.

What is this organization's top short-term priority?

Fundraising, fundraising, fundraising to be able to expand its waiting-listed services.